Payworks Coach of the Month

Lam Nguyen

Award
Payworks Coach of the Month
Sport
Basketball
Award Date
Feb 27, 2019
School
St. John's-Ravenscourt School
award_photo

Lam Nguyen (pronounced "Win") is in his second year coaching the SJR JV Girls' Basketball team while teaching Math in the Senior School. He coaches with great passion but great kindness, never letting the concerns about wins and losses get him or his girls down. Since there have not been enough teams in the JV Girls SCAC (Zone 2) both of his years, SJR has played in a combined, untiered league, leading to many defeats at the hands of teams of both the AAA & AAAA variety.

Lam has worked tirelessly to develop their talent and foster in them a love of the sport and the confidence to play effectively along with the team's more experienced players. This year, especially in February, the girls turned a corner in terms of grit, competitiveness and even wins. Due to over-commitment issues, there were times when there were barely enough girls to field a team. Special arrangements had to be made and much time spent convincing players/parents to indeed free up needed bodies to avoid forfeiting games or pulling out of tournaments. Despite all of this, Lam was steadfast, positive and never forfeited a game.

He took the core of the team on two overnight tournaments where he and his assistant coach (Joanne Kim) introduced the team to video analysis as well as making sure to use the trip to bond as a team. They even bought the girls valentines and stuffies for Valentine’s Day game night.

The girls recently won an upset victory in the 4 vs. 5 playoff opener despite finishing last in the regular season. As they gear up the inevitable vs. the number #1 seed, there is still this aura of positivity surrounding the team. The girls have developed skills and kept their heads up through many challenges, and this has a great deal to do with their committed leader, Mr. Lam Nguyen.